Slashdot videos: Now with more Slashdot!

View

Discuss

Share

We've improved Slashdot's video section; now you can view our video interviews, product close-ups and site visits with all the usual Slashdot options to comment, share, etc. No more walled garden! It's a work in progress -- we hope you'll check it out (Learn more about the recent updates).

Car makers can simply support both protocols in their built in systems and whatever device you bring just pairs up with it.

Why would an automaker want to exclude potential customers by only supporting one method or the other is the question you need to ask. Unless Apple or Google is subsidising the cost of the car they just want to make the most attractive package possible and sell more cars.

Why? Linux is the kernel, Android is built on top of Linux. Writing stable drivers for all the hardware in a modern smartphone (and the millions of variations in those configurations) plus the userspace to run it is no simple task.

Reality is that Android is fragmented to hell and back. Even now a great example. The HTC ONE M8 HTC's Flagship has a very shitty Android that most people are flashing the phone back to the google Play edition to regain functionality of Android.

Unless Google tells all phone makers "FUCK YOU" and demands they can not call it android in any way if they modify it in any way like how apple tells AT&T and Verizon that they can not put their bloated garbage all over the phone... Then it will have crap integration.

My AT&T M8 came with so much AT&T garbage baked into the rom that I was ready to smash the phone after 48 hours. Then the HTC Sense crap coupled with the AT&T crap pushed me to the point that I risked bricking the phone and went to Cyanogenmod dailies until someone released a GPE recovery image.

I had all HTC phones up until my current Galaxy Note. I've since learned that HTC phones really suck.

Amen to that. The build quality is poor and they refuse to implement known fixes for known engineering failures, like flex cables pulling out of keyboards when a simple piece of clear tape will take care of the problem for the life of the phone.

Um, no, I'm speaking from experience. Phones aren't supported by the mfgrs or carriers after 6-12 months. Just try asking your carrier when you're going to get an update to the latest version of Android for your 2 or 3-year-old phone. They'll tell you to buy a new one.

At least Apple seems to support their devices for a decent amount of time, if you can stomach the insane amount of control and vendor lock-in that Apple exercises.

At least Apple seems to support their devices for a decent amount of time, if you can stomach the insane amount of control and vendor lock-in that Apple exercises.

If you can't, choose a mainstream Android phone with a fairly new processor. It's likely to be picked up by the community, and someone will probably make a device based around the same chip, and put a newer version of Android on it — opening up support for your hardware.

You are a fool if you buy your phone from the carrier. My old Galaxy S3 had more than two years of updates from Samsung and continues you get them from Google. This is an old meme and only really applies to cheap, shit phones.

Windows XP was officially supported for over 12 years after release. Apple usually supports its hardware until up to 4 years after release. Android support is usually only offered *before* release date and a few months after.

Windows XP was officially supported for over 12 years after release. Apple usually supports its hardware until up to 4 years after release. Android support is usually only offered *before* release date and a few months after.

XP was supported for so long because its "successor" was delivered 4 years late - and then didn't include all the features promised for it before XP was even released.

And if the US government would pay Apple even remotely as much to support ancient hardware as they do pay Microsoft to keep XP afloat, you wouldn't write that.

At least Apple seems to support their devices for a decent amount of time, if you can stomach the insane amount of control and vendor lock-in that Apple exercises.

Considering my last two nexus phones cost me less than one new Iphone I came out ahead (Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 5, I skipped the 4 because the GNEX was still fine... In fact I only replaced the GNEX because I lost it).

Besides, even if I paid the same as an Iphone, not having to be locked into Apple would be worth it.

Grishnakh's first post came across a little trollish (I don't think that was his intention), but his point was completely valid. The typical Android user isn't running cyanogenmod (too bad, because it's great IME), nor (in the US) using a phone that they bought outright to use on a carrier that gave no discount for BYOD (disclaimer: I am not a typical Android user either). The typical Android user is using whatever device VZW/ATT/Sprint/TMO talked them into getting and likely got no significant OS updates

So you need to buy a Google-branded phone to get good support, and all the other Android vendors such? So why bother letting other vendors make Android phones at all?

Face it, Google has done a terrible job with Android because it failed to anticipate the other vendors would do such a poor job supporting their products, and that this would reflect on Android as a whole.

It's not inconceivable that the car will run Android, but also function as a receiver for your more updated and powerful device. That way you'd still have some kind of functionality if you forgot your phone, or for that matter, still used a dumbphone.

Neither please. Choosing between a big brother-like ad-riddled OS from Google vs a severely restricted vendor lock-in from Apple? I'd rather run my car on Windows than either of these.

You don't want that.

I'm not a Microsoft hater... I'm one of the few that think Win 8.1 is alright. But I *now* am not the biggest fan of the Microsoft "MyFordTouch" on my Ford Edge.

The Navigation system is nice, I wouldn't trade that in for the world.

But outside of GPS the Microsoft MFT system is buggy and crashes, and they failed to deliver on a heavily-advertised feature for MFT. It crashes about once-per-month, during which time while driving I lose a lot of climate-control / GPS / entertainment functi

Neither please. Choosing between a big brother-like ad-riddled OS from Google vs a severely restricted vendor lock-in from Apple? I'd rather run my car on Windows than either of these.

You don't want that.

For something as simple as my car stereo, I want something simpler than Windows, Android or IOS. Something like QNX that is designed to run on low powered hardware (and I mean even more low powered than ARM), something designed to do very few jobs but do them well. I dont need a general purpose OS that locks me into someone's distribution channel.

When I bought my Nissan S15 I replaced the original 2002 CD player modern one. I could have gone for a double DIN android infotainment system with all the bell

Android is closed source and costs money to license, and you have to agree to forcing Google's shit by default (like the Play store).AOSP is free and open source. No consumer wants a phone running AOSP.

" costs money to license, and you have to agree to forcing Google's shit by default (like the Play store)."1. No it does not http://9to5google.com/2014/01/... [9to5google.com]And the things that Google "forces" android handset makers is frankly what customers want.Google started making handset makers to do make GMS and all or nothing service when a handset maker put on all sorts of Google apps but made the search BING and locked it down!Some companies choose not to use GMS but still use Android like Amazon.AOSP plus GMS == the Android must consumers want.

Compared to IOS, BlackberryOS, and WP Android is as free as can be. If you want source to everything but the GMS apps just run Cyanogen. You can even add in the GMS apps if you want them or just run Outlook, YahooMail, or a FOSS mailclient for mail, and the mapping software of your choice.

It might be the Android most people want but they could also allow to uninstall Google apps that you don't use (for example Google+ which I ocasionally use but most people don't even know what it is).
I understand that one of the ways Android phones make Google money is by enticing you to use more of their services but I wish they'd allow to uninstall their apps even if there was some kind of penalty for it (paying some money maybe?)

Plenty of OEMs paid money to license Android, plenty of OEMs signed their first born child away, plenty of OEMs now have to pay more money to separately license Google's apps, which used to come with Android (there was Slashdot article about this when it happened), major OEMs pay extra on top of all other agreements in order to be able to launch a flagship product with the latest version of Android, OEMs have to pay extra again if they want access to the latest builds - whoever pays more gets access the ear

Just use MirrorLink. Supports both Android and iOS. It's somewhat open and based on VNC, so should be easily supportable by almost any device. Mirrors the screen, supports multitouch control, feeds though GPS from the car's receiver.

Car makers can simply support both protocols in their built in systems and whatever device you bring just pairs up with it.

The simple answer is neither.

Most car manufacturers will support neither protocol because it interferes with their proprietary protocols and proprietary operating systems that cost the suckers... erm I mean valued customers money to upgrade.

Auto manufacturers dont care about customers. Their wants or needs are immaterial, what matters is getting them shell out as much as possible before the planned obsolescence features kick in and then getting them to buy a new car without breaking any laws (well, an

iphone is a keyboard and a tv-set away from being a full-fledged computer for 99% of the population.

Actually.... it isn't, not anymore You can connect a Bluetooth keyboard to an iPhone and there is a HDMI connector available.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... [youtube.com] The phone desktop gets projected to the TV without changing the aspect ratio which is rather rudimentary and you can only interact with it through the keyboard and the touch screen on the device. I'd say what's missing is mainly a decent TV/Monitor mode for the iOS desktop and a touch screen display device capable of sending touch and gesture feedback

I would like to see more than mirror link.I would love to have an option for the phone to use a GPS built into the car and the antenna. In theory it should be better than the tiny one they have to fit in your phone. Also it would be good if could have access to the AM, FM, and Satellite radio systems and can control them.I would also like to see it have access to the things like MPG data.

Of course it is all possible but it is not at the level of just works for most people."You think that would be good, but in reality it would be annoying. It's nice to have that stuff have its own controls, particularly a volume knob.

Volume buttons are the devil."So wouldn't it be cool if Android could read the volume knob and even use it and the other buttons that the car uses?

"In both the GPS and OBD-II cases, you can bet that the manufacturer would charge you more than you'd pay to get the functionality f

I bought a Mountek nGroove Snap [amazon.co.uk] car mount; Sits inside the CD slot of your stereo, holds smart phones and small tablets up to 7" using magnets and an adhesive-attached metal plate. You need to adjust it every few days, but it only takes a few seconds to do and is rock-solid afterwards.

CarPlay is a protocol. CarPlay can be run on top of any Operating System. Google's old idea was to have each manufacturer fork Android for their own version of an entertainment system. Google is changing course to follow Apple's lead on creating a protocol instead.

> "We'll obviously learn details soon enough, but for now, we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market."
Or BlackBerry who currently is the dominant player?

I dont know about other slashdotters, but Millenials like myself cant afford a brand new car, end of discussion. Years of college loans have ruined our credit score and what little we are saving is going directly toward maintaining the vehicle we already unfortunately own. For a bit less than a hundred dollars though, I can get a used car stereo and a wiring kit that lets me play music from a USB stick and over BlueTooth from my phone. If i cant afford that, I can just put my ear buds in.

I dont value a car. not like the Gen X or Y or baby boomers did. To me its nothing but oil changes, tire changes, and a lifetime of direct mail spam about my "warranty" running out or the latest bullshit deal from herpo derpersons car and truck supercenter. Its having to strap myself to an insurance company that will subrogate everything. A car just means I put up with expensive parking, gridlock traffic, tickets, and ridiculous gas prices until it dies on a hot day alongside the freeway.
what i do value is public transit. affordable busses that run every 20 minutes and light rail systems that give me time to do shit I actually care about, like browse slashdot and work. I already have a device that lets me use google or apple or whatever I need, but to strap it to a 2000 pound haggared burro doesnt help.

Maybe Google and apple know this about you, and also realize that you aren't their target market for this particular development...That's right millennial, it isn't always about you... Some times it is about Gen X, Y, or the Boomers...

Better still, Gen X and the boomers have disposable income, and have demonstrated their ability to dispose of it for the most frivolous of items...

So you know that there is a reason behind what I'm saying when I say SHUT UP DIRTY HIPPIE! the grown ups are talking about how to

WTF is with all this generation naming crap. It is silly. When all we could come up with was Generation X we should have stopped.Now we have Millenials. WTF is a Millenial? The age range (according to Wikipedia) is people around 13 to 35 (Other sites place the range as 22-32 which seems a lot more reasonable). How does that mean anything? They have nothing at all in common. The GP post referred to Millennial and Generation Y as two different things. Everywhere else says they are the same thing. Which

Just because the goofy GP can't pay his bills and prefers public transportation is an anecdote not a trend.

Right, I agree with that. But I also disagree that a lot of people have a lot of money. A small handful of people have a lot of money. A lot of people have a little money. Still more people have basically no money, and almost all of these people have a lot of debt. We've seen that trends in the USA are towards efficiency. People are buying less PCs than they used to, and more pocket-sized devices. But people like to buy new stuff, they would buy new PCs even if they don't need them if they were bleeding mon

I dont know about other slashdotters, but Millenials like myself cant afford a brand new car, end of discussion. Years of college loans have ruined our credit score and what little we are saving is going directly toward maintaining the vehicle we already unfortunately own. For a bit less than a hundred dollars though, I can get a used car stereo and a wiring kit that lets me play music from a USB stick and over BlueTooth from my phone. If i cant afford that, I can just put my ear buds in.

Just because you're not the target market doesn't mean others aren't. And while public transit is a nice idea, it isn't practical for everyone. The fact is, most of the US urban centers were built with personal transportation in mind, not public transportation, so cars make the most sense for the most people, and automated cars seems to be the future there. As such, getting into this market seems to make a lot of sense.

It's pretty foolish to take on large amounts of debt to fund college, especially those who end up going to middling universities or major in degrees that aren't going to land them $60K/yr plus salaries.

That's one way, but there are other options...if people really want to force it

Go on scholarship, even if the school is not your top choice.Go to community college and live at home, then transfer after two years to a local university...and still live at home if you can.Get a job that will pay your tuition while you go to school part time (many will)Get a job and pay your own tuition while you go to school part timeJoin the military so they will fund your education

Doesn't come close to paying for tuition + living expenses. Even athletes with full rides take on student debt to support themselves, since they can't have jobs and aren't paid for putting asses in the seats. The kids selling pop corn and hot dogs in the concessions stands do, though.

Go to community college

Which blocks you from having a high level career as a doctorate in science, engineering, or medicine. Which again, is a feature for Social Darwinists - gotta keep the riff raff out.

Medical schools aren't under grad institutions. Attending a community college on your way to a bachelors degree in no way disqualifies you from attending medical school or graduate school.

So we're back at square one: saying Community Colleges are the solution to people who don't have rich parents or willing to risk a lifetime of student loan debt is to tell them a high level degree in medicine (or science or engineering) is beyond their reach, as CC's don't have doctoral programs.

we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market

Well QNX is still the #1 embedded system, and owned by Blackberry. They've demo'd full automotive interfaces (including dashboard, not just entertainment) and, I'm led to understand, CarPlay is currently running atop QNX - I doubt that ios or osx or a variant would be taken up by any car maker as an embedded system.

Regardless, wasn't there a recent survey that basically concluded that most Driver's really wanted car manufacturers to stop buggering around with in car entertainment - leave it at audio, navi

A "projected" OS sounds dumb to me. If you just want to get music from your phone to your stereo, then AD2P (bluetooth) works fine. For maps and other stuff, the phone can have a holster.

What I (and most people I know) want, is a stereo with a decent interface and functionality of a modern OS, without killing the phone's battery, and without needing a "phone" UI. That means maps, traffic updates, and music baked in. Let it tie in to my account so that I can purchase music and have it update the car's librar

you do NOT need to have a car specific OS, just fucking bring back "car mode" to Android. Android as it is works fantastic as a Infotainment OS once you disable the stupid screen timeout and add circuitry to wake/sleep based on car ignition status.

No, in 5 years you'll have to pay extra to have Google drive the car go to where you want, stop, and unlock the doors to let you out. Decline to pay extra and you'll be delivered to the drive-through shopping mall that bids highest for your eyeballs. Or perhaps direct to the soylent green^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hrecycling plant....

Microsoft has had a pretty cool system in cars for a while, MS Sync. Yet much like their initial smart phone line (think Windows Pocket PC Phone), it felt like they put a half ass effort in and never did anything to push it forward. I can see this happening again, only to have them try to play catch up later, with the 'Surface Radio'

I don't agree. Apple has had an iPod integration protocol since 2005 [apple.com] which is supported by tons of OEM and aftermarket devices. That same protocol is still usable with the latest iPhone 5s and in iOS 8, nine years later. That protocol can even be used now to control third-party apps that are running, so I can pause and fast-forward just as I could if using the music app.

If Google makes a protocol that's simple for manufacturer's to adopt, and is suitably stable, that's good enough for me.

"If Apple/Google came up with an open standard that they both used, EVERYONE would use it, we could home brew, and it would be a win for the consumer."

Which neither Apple, or Google (or any company) wants. They don't want home brew and a "win for the consumer". They want you to be locked into their solution and getting your hardware/software from THEM.